Earlier today a friend came over to help me move a couple of pieces of outdoor furniture, and now I'm working on the patio cover. It has reached the tipping point this spring, when the sun coming into the back windows is no longer a benefit to keeping the house a comfortable temperature. My 50/50 tarp is going up to shade the western side of the patio, and before I started that I replaced a 2x4 plank that had come off of the top edge of the patio cover. I'm having to rearrange the heavy duty cup hooks that the tarp grommets slip over holding the tarp in place.

I took the clotheslines down when the tree trimmers were here and it has been several years since I replaced those lines so I'll pick up a new length of it and restring those. And get new pins also. I need to mow back there before I hang laundry, and before that I have to replace the fuel line in my gas trimmer. So many repair and maintenance projects this weekend.

The gas barbecue grill is up and running (though I need to trim grass in the cracks around the brick part of the patio) and I'm thawing a chicken to grill to use for meals this weekend. Hard work today but it means the yard will be ready for the holiday.